The Importance and Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Event Management - Essay Example

For many years, the idea of corporate social responsibility (CSR) focused on its validity and importance for the effectiveness and image of organizations. Currently, the concern is not whether to practice CSR or not but is what and how. In short, in the 21st century, the CSR concept remains an important part of organization management strategy (Zheng, 2008). In the 21st century, CSR concerns are growing and are mainly focusing on organization sensitization to systems and dynamics of management. It involves growing alignment across many organizations.

CSR marks the progressive development of organizations as bodies of both corporate and societal management; venues for the integration of both private and public interests; participants in the organization and society oriented regulation; and possessors of shared, relational and other ways of connected external looking and internal looking responsibilities like event management. Issues revolving around CSR are tending primarily for many participants in multiple roles across organizations and communities (Horrigan, 2007).

In event management, a lot must be done behind the scenes in order for an event to be successful. The event management starts with writing proposals, negotiating fees, and considering safety issues before dealing with timing, menus, or even location. All aspects of organizing and strategic planning of an event should be conducted carefully. The planning includes proposal preparation, management fee determination, designing events in multicultural situations, and identification of new ways that raise the efficiency of event operations (Allen, 2002).

Event management with proper CSR practices is more likely to synchronize the strengths to the location, operational scope, and organizational levels placing it in a better position to combine the challenges. In this way, they will also be able to maintain environment-related awareness and apply the relevant practices and hence achieve organizational success (AchieveGlobal, 2010). Event management deals with the coordination of activities that involve groups of people coming together to achieve certain objectives, for example, parties, promotions, weddings, etc.

Event managers always conduct proper research before the event, come up with a design, locate the event and ensure other logistics like refreshments are in order. The main agenda of an event is to cause an impact among the host community and also effectively market the organization. Organizations implementing CSR measures experience various benefits, which include increased productivity; motivation, and commitment among workers; minimized operating costs; increased sound and transparent practices.

Other benefits include customer loyalty; decreased regulatory oversight; minimized wastage and utilization of environmental-friendly production procedures; improved brand image, etc. (Balboni, Bute, & Sookram, 2007). Organizations' competition for skilled workers, investors, and loyal customers are on the rise because of globalization. The way in which an organization relates with its employees, its host communities, and the marketplace significantly contributes to its sustainability and success (Rionda, 2002).

Example of the importance of CSR Nike. Considering the case in Asia in the 1990s, it shows how labor standard issues can destroy a firm’s global reputation. At the same time, it shows the importance of understanding CSR and its practices. 

Nike had to pay its employees in accordance with the local customs and practices. When a company from a developed nation conducts business in a developing nation, it may create a level of corporate virtues consistent with that of the host. This is what linked Nike to charges of running sweatshops. Although the host citizens find work in a multinational corporation poorly paying, they always say it is a better option. There is no doubt that labor standards in such situations should be improved. The only concern is in what context, to what degree, and at what cost. At times enhancing the labor standards or the business environment from a global view may damage the living standard of host communities. Analysts may argue that uncritical CSR practices that do not suit the host context may undermine the main objective of corporate social responsibility. This is because it causes a lack of integration with broader business objectives (Zheng, 2008). 

Another interesting aspect of this case that applies to many other companies is that regular criticisms and negative responses can make a company reconsider its business strategies. During the process of backlash against its labor and environmental practices, the company changed to product stewardship strategies to regain its image and preserve its operational rights. The company enacted a global regulatory program for all contracts, using internal and external auditors. Apart from acting in the field of labor issues, the company acted in the environment sphere as well. The designers began evaluating their new models against product stewardship, using life-cycle analysis. The company also launched the Re-Use a Shoe project to encourage the practice of product recycling (Zheng, 2008). Considering CSR practices, event management should examine staging, marketing, risk management, budgeting, logistics, impacts, and reporting in order to achieve success. Other aspects to be examined include human resource management, legal issues, health, and safety management (Bowdin, et al., 2006).

In summary, CSR practices play vital roles in event management. An organization needs to be in the right relationship with the host community at all times to maintain its effectiveness. Regarding event management, success can only be achieved when the locals/hosts cooperate. The cooperation is only achieved by appropriate CSR practices.